Youth council wants parastatal appointments revoked

December 30, 2013 12:52 pm

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By JOSEPH MURAYA, President Kenyatta has been accused of neglecting the youth in plum appointments. FILE.NAIROBI Kenya, Dec 30 – The National Youth Council is now urging President Uhuru Kenyatta to revoke the appointment of 26 parastatal heads gazetted at the weekend.

The council argues that majority of those appointed does not represent the youthful majority in the country, arguing that most of them are political losers and recycled retirees.

The council Chairman Clement Ayungo who addressed journalists this afternoon says the president and his deputy are going against their own manifesto which propelled them to power.

“The cabinet has no single youth, there’s no single youth holding Permanent Secretary position and now the parastatal heads are being appointed in total exclusion of the youth,” he complained.

The council officials said unless the new appointments are revoked, the youth stands to lose because and are likely to lose hope of getting jobs under the new government.

The Deputy President has since defended the appointments, insisting that all factors, including regional balance were considered.

The youth council disagrees, saying “We urge the President to implement to the letter the Jubilee Manifesto on the basis of which the youth elected them to office,”

Most notable on the list of appointments is the former Head of the Civil Service Francis Muthaura who has been named the LAPSET Corridor Development Authority Chairman.

“Uhuru Kenyatta, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces of the Republic of Kenya appoints Amb. Francis Muthaura to be the Chairman of the LAPSSET Corridor Development Authority up to February 15, 2016 with effect from January 10, 2014,” the special gazette notice reads.

Former MPs allied to Lands Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu also won big with Phillip Kaloki being appointed Chairperson of the Kenya Medical Training College and Agnes Ndetei clinching an appointment as Chairperson of the National Drought Management Authority.

Linah Jebii Kilimo whose Jebii Kilimo Foundation focuses on bringing an end to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in the North Rift was appointed to chair the newly formed Anti-Female Genital Mutilation Board.

The National Alliance (TNA) Secretary General Onyango Oloo was not left out of the appointments either and secured an appointment as Chairperson of the Lake Basin Development Authority among others.